Publications

outbreak of avian cholera on the wintering grounds of the mississippi valley canada goose flock.

avian cholera is reported for the first time in canada geese, branta canadensis, of the mississippi valley population. the disease was detected in weekly surveillance transects and was responsible for the loss of about 850 geese during the winter of 1978-1979 at localized areas in southern illinois. necropsies performed on 480 geese that died at union county conservation area and on 133 birds at horseshoe lake conservation area during january and february 1979 revealed that the majority of losse ...

over a 6-yr period, two cases of neoplastic disease were diagnosed among 1,272 wild canada geese (branta canadensis interior) collected in illinois (usa), wisconsin (usa), and ontario, canada. one juvenile goose of each sex was involved. in both cases > 35 discrete masses were observed subdermally, intramuscularly, and within the body cavity. the tumors, diagnosed as spindle cell sarcomas, are among the most commonly observed neoplasms in free-living north american waterfowl. based on our data, ...

spatial and temporal variation in lead levels related to body condition in the mississippi valley population of canada geese.

concern over lead poisoning led to progressive prohibition of toxic shot to harvest waterfowl in the 1980's. nevertheless, waterfowl remain susceptible to ingestion of lead shot because illegal use continues and spent shot persists in soil and wetland substrates. while mortality due to lead toxicosis has subsided, sublethal effects may still affect survival and reproduction. we measured liver lead levels and body condition in 732 canada geese (branta canadensis interior) during july 1984 to apri ...

populations of escherichia coli from juvenile and adult ring-billed gulls, juvenile common terns, and adult canada geese were sampled over 6 years at five locations on lake superior (duluth, mn, and wisconsin) and lake michigan (wisconsin, illinois, and indiana) to determine the extent of spatial and temporal variability in e. coli strains. strain identity was determined using horizontal fluorophore-enhanced repetitive element palindromic dna fingerprinting. multivariate statistics were used to ...

breast muscle samples, with or without overlying adipose tissue and skin, were obtained from canada geese collected in northeastern illinois while undergoing feather molt. specimens were evaluated for contaminant concentrations to determine if they would be acceptable as human food provided through government-subsidized programs. samples were baked, allowing fat to drip free, and assayed for persistent organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls. residues of heptachlor epoxide, dield ...

gizzards from 64 hunter-shot canada geese (branta canadensis) were collected in southern illinois (usa) in december 1991 and january 1992 to determine the prevalence and intensity of gizzard nematodes. three species of gizzard nematodes were recovered: amidostomum anseris, amidostomum spatulatum, and epomidiostomum crami. the prevalence of infection was 98%. mean intensity was 17.8 nematodes per host and was significantly greater for immature geese (40.3 nematodes/host) than for adult geese (10. ...